Sexual Health

Hormone is critical treatment for those experiencing reduced libido in midlife, say expertsThe lack of availability of testosterone for postmenopausal women in the UK is morally wrong, an expert has said.The criticism comes after a taskforce brought to…

Dr Jennifer Gunter is the world’s most famous – and outspoken – gynaecologist. And she’s on a mission to empower women with medical facts, taking on wellness gurus, old wives’ tales, the patriarchy and jade eggs along the way‘Dear Ms Paltrow,’ began Dr…

Almost half of cases diagnosed at late stage, prompting call for wider access to PrEP trial Diagnoses of HIV in England have fallen to their lowest level in almost two decades.However, Public Health England (PHE) said challenges around the virus remain…

It’s a common complaint, and help is available. Yet, because of isolation, fear and shame, few seek it outLike so many, I adore Fleabag. She’s outrageous, with a sexual animalism that I love to see in female characters on-screen. With Fleabag, Phoebe W…

I grabbed a wine-cooling sleeve from the freezer and wrapped it around my penisThis summer I got a new boyfriend, moved into a new flat in Berlin and started a new job – it was one of the happiest times of my life. One Friday, my partner was having an …

Pioneering clinical trial raises hopes of cure for ‘hidden’ sexually transmitted infectionA vaccine to protect against chlamydia has moved closer to becoming reality after a pioneering clinical trial found the treatment to be safe. The vaccine successf…

Move by NHS could prevent more than 100,000 cancers across UK by 2058The NHS will expand the HPV vaccination programme to include all boys in school year 8 in England from September, safeguarding them and girls from a range of cancers.By 2058, which wi…

Andrew Bremberg is proud of his work expanding the US ‘gag rule’ that hurts women across the worldDuring a fiery hearing with the Senate foreign relations committee last month, Andrew Bremberg, President Trump’s controversial nominee for US representat…

Experts call for more honest discussion of sexually transmitted infections and more dataThe World Health Organization has called for more honest discussion of sexually transmitted infections after reporting that more than 1m STIs are contracted around …

Why does the onus of birth control always fall on women? With access to contraception and abortion under threat, men must do their partA woman who doesn’t want to get pregnant can take a pill, or wear a patch or insert a hormone-filled ring into her va…

It’s good for our mental and physical health, lowering blood pressure and boosting the immune systemSex is the most talked-about, joked about, thought-about issue in our culture. Every grown adult is expected to know how to do it, but beyond the basic …

Royal College of Nurses to lobby UK government in move to protect sex workers’ health The union representing Britain’s nurses will start lobbying governments across the UK to decriminalise prostitution in order to safeguard sex workers and improve thei…

It’s not just about erections – from body confidence to chronic pain, people worry about sex for many reasonsThis piece appears in ‘The ultimate guide to sex and intimacy’, free with the Guardian in the UK on SaturdaySexual performance anxiety is a phr…

Sexual health organisations warn women will die if they are forced to seek DIY abortions‘We have to fight’: Alabama’s extreme abortion ban sparks wave of activismThe Trump administration has taken its war on abortion worldwide, cutting off all funding …

Access to help for sexual problems is patchy and many fear the consequences of cuts to sexual health services could be profound. Nicola Davis investigatesPlease note: this podcast contains discussion of sexual abuseIn the UK, sexual dysfunction is far …

Cuts to sexual dysfunction services risk leaving thousands of people without help. We would like to hear from readers about their experiencesFrom erectile problems to pain during sex and problems with orgasm, sexual dysfunction is far from rare among b…

Doctors made me feel silly and men offered to fix my vaginal woe. But speaking up about sexual dysfunction has given me back the voice I had lost in bedIt’s time for me to stop lying about sex. To my ex-partners, I’m sorry I wasn’t as honest with you a…

Women especially affected, with relationships and ability to conceive impacted, say expertsCuts to sexual dysfunction services risk leaving thousands of people without help for problems that can affect their wellbeing, relationships and ability to conc…

I’ve only ever had sex with three men, and been married for almost two decadesI have HPV – the human papillomavirus. Infections are common, but the strains I have mean that I’ve had to visit a specialist seven times in the last two months. I’m now at r…